Records

Ave.

Ave.

0-0

Top 16

0-0

4-3

Regular Season

3-4

4-3

Overall

3-4

Referees

Crew Chief

LAMONICA, LUIGI, Italy

Referee

CHEBYSHEV, SERGIY, Ukraine

Umpire

JIMENEZ, BENJAMIN, Spain

The Take

Maccabi will qualify if it wins and CSKA Moscow beats Cedevita Zagreb. ALBA will try to end its eight-game losing streak against the Israeli champ and relies on its frontcourt, led by Jamel McLean, Marko Banic and Leon Radosevic, to make the different in the paint. It will not be easy, however, as Maccabi features strong, experienced big men such as Sofoklis Schortsanitis, Alex Tyus and a recovered Brian Randle, who will return to his team's lineup. Maccabi needs to stop ALBA's point guard duo of Cliff Hammonds and Alex Renfroe. Hammonds will use his strong defense against Jeremy Pargo, while Renfroe will not have it easy against Yohev Ohayon and Marquez Haynes. Sylven Landesberg and Devin Smith must step up at the wings. The matchup between Smith and Reggie Redding will be critical. Landesberg will not have it easy against Vojdan Stojanovski and Alex King. Expect a physical, intense game.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Euroleague.net

Game Notes

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv
Maccabi is second-last in the league in offensive rebounding at 7.9 per game.
Devin Smith has made at least 1 three-pointer in 11 of his last 12 Euroleague games.
Smith is the league leader in minutes played per game at 32:14.
Jeremy Pargo set a Euroleague career high with 10 assists in the victory over ALBA in Berlin in Regular Season Round 3.
Brian Randle leads the league with 2.4 blocked shots per game this season.
Randle signed with Alba Berlin for the 2012-13 season, however injuries limited him to just a handful of games there.
Randle set career highs with 25 points, 3 three-pointer and a performance index rating of 34 in the victory over ALBA in Berlin in Regular Season Round 3.

ALBA Berlin
Maccabi has beaten ALBA Berlin in each of their last eight meetings. ALBA’s only victory over Maccabi came in January 1997 in the German capital. Current Berlin coach Sasa Obradovic started for ALBA in that 70-65 victory.
ALBA is second to last in the Euroleague this season in rebounding with 31.6 per game.
Jamel McLean leads the league with 55 fouls drawn this season. Correspondingly, he leads the league in free throws attempted (49) and is second in free throws made (33).
Alex Renfroe has recorded at least 1 steal in seven consecutive Euroleague games.
Jonathan Tabu was a teammate of Maccabi Electra big man Alex Tyus during the 2012-13 season with Pallacanestro Cantu. It was the first Euroleague season for both players.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Euroleague.net

Quotes Head Coaches

GOODES, GUY

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv

"This game is very, very important, one we must win. Alba Berlin is a tough, aggressive team that's in great shape. This team always goes after the offensive rebound and drives to the basket. They're a very tough opponent. We'll have to match their level of aggressiveness. With Nokia and our fans we want to play hard and win, the score doesn't matter. We want to guarantee our spot in the Top 16."

OBRADOVIC, SASA

ALBA Berlin

"Even though Maccabi lost already at home this season, the Nokia Arena remains a strong home court. In such an important game the fans will support Maccabi even stronger. In the first game we did not react well to their match-up zone defense. They gave us so many open shots, but we missed them all. After our recent wins we should find a more loose approach to this game and make it different from the first one."

Players

HAYNES, MARQUEZ

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv

"Tomorrow is an important game for us that can decide whether we go on to the Top 16. We know it's also an important game for them. They're an aggressive team, and the game for sure won't be an easy one."

RADOSEVIC, LEON

ALBA Berlin

"In the first game in in Berlin they scored everything, while we missed everything. I hope the second game in Tel Aviv will be different. Cedevita has shown that they are beatable even there. So we won't go with a white flag over there, but will go for a win, which would be a big step to reach the Top 16."

Maccabi Electra holds off ALBA to claim Top 16 berth

Reigning Turkish Airlines Euroleague champion Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv fought hard to hold off ALBA Berlin 95-89 on Thursday and claim a place in the Top 16. Devin Smith scored 26 points and Brian Randle had 21 in a victory that gave Maccabi a season sweep of the Berliners, and improved it to 5-3 record in Group B. Jamel McLean had 16 points and 9 rebounds for the visitors, who are now 3-5. Maccabi had a strong start to the game and led 32-22 early in the second quarter, but McLean led the visitors’ rally with 10 points, and ALBA took a 42-46 advantage into halftime. Three consecutive three-pointers after the break put Maccabi up, but the teams traded leads back and forth until the half way of the fourth quarter when Randle and Smith made some key baskets, and Jeremy Pargo knocked down back-to-back triples to pave way for the hosts’ win. Yogev Ohayon contributed with 13 points and 8 assists, while Pargo netted 9 with 7 boards and 4 assists. For ALBA, Cliff Hammonds netted 15, while Reggie Redding had 13 points with 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Marko Banic scored 12, and Leon Radosevic 10 in defeat.

First quarter: Maccabi starts strong behind Randle and Smith

Randle opened the game with a steal and a fastbreak dunk, and after Niels Giffey hit a triple to open the scoring for ALBA, a baseline jumper and a three-pointer from Smith made it 7-4. Randle extended Maccabi's run with another fastbreak dunk, and after Radosevic sank a jumper for the visitors, Sofoklis Schortsanitis fought his way for a layup-plus-foul, then added a put-back for a 14-6 lead. Banic banked in a short fade-away shot, and after Ohayon answered with a runner in the lane, Alex King made a steal and raced to score on a fast break. Aley Renfroe followed it with a three-pointer, before Banic fed Vojdan Stojanovski to get within 16-15. Randle nailed a triple to keep Maccabi in front, but Banic hustled to score on a fastbreak. The visitors had couple of chances to tie it, but Smith made a block on defensive end for Maccabi, which led to a fastbreak layup-plus-foul from Randle for a 6-point lead. Radosevic made another hustle play for the Berliners, picking up a loose ball for a reverse layup, but Smith finished the quarter with free throws to make it 25-19 after 10 minutes.

Second quarter: Radosevic and McLean rally ALBA in front

Sylven Landesberg drove the lane for a layup before McLean raced for a layup-plus-free throw on a fastbreak for ALBA. However, Smith answered with a basket-plus-foul, and followed it with a runner for a 32-22 advantage. But after a timeout, Radosevic scored in the low post off the glass, then added an easy dunk, before Hammonds hit a jumper to cut it to 32-28. Giffey’s three got ALBA within a single point before Schortsanitis scored in traffic from close range to snap a 0-9 run. But Renfroe’s driving layup-plus-free throw tied it at 34-34. Maccabi went back in front with a pair of put-backs, a dunk from Alex Tyus and a layup from Smith, but McLean fought inside for a basket and Stojanovski nailed a three-pointer on a fast break for a 38-39 ALBA lead. McLean added a tip-in and Ohayon answered with a three-pointer, but McLean made another layup for a 41-43 edge and free throws from Jonas Wohlfarth and Reggie Redding gave ALBA a 42-46 advantage at halftime.

Third quarter: Hosts fight their way back in front

Redding drove down the lane to finish Alba’s first trip down the floor in the second half, but Smith, Randle and Ohayon nailed back-to-back-to-back triples in less than 80 seconds for 51-48. After a timeout Banic made a put-back for the visitors, and after Ohayon answered with a mid-range jumper, Banic sank 4 of 4 foul shots to put the visitors back in front, 53-54. MarQuez Haynes hit a short jumper, Banic made a layup against Maccabi’s zone defense, but Ohayon drove on a fast break for a layup-plus-foul, 60-56. Redding answered with a three-pointer, but Landesberg kept Maccabi in front with a layup. Radosevic hit a baseline jumper, but Haynes drove for a layup and Tyus made a pair of foul shots for the hosts, before a McLean beat the buzzer with a tip-in for 68-63 after three quarters.

Fourth quarter: Pargo and Randle lift Maccabi in the end

Hammonds hit a corner triple, and Randle a tough basket inside on the other end to make it 70-66. Randle and Redding traded baskets, before Hammonds buried another triple to go ahead 72-73. A three from Renfroe made it a 4-point affair, and Schortsanitis fouled out. However Smith made a layup and split free throws and Pargo added to shots from the foul line, before Randle made a steal and a fastbreak dunk for a 79-76 advantage with four minutes to go. After a timeout, McLean made a layup, but Randle nailed a tough jumper with hand in his face, and Pargo sank a three-pointer to go ahead 84-78. Redding got ALBA back in it with a second-chance three-pointer, but Pargo answered right back from way downtown, before Smith fed Tyus with a bounce pass for a dunk and an 89-81 lead with 68 seconds to go. Smith scored another layup after an assist from Randle, before Hammonds gave hope to the hosts, scoring a basket-plus-foul. Then Akeem Vargas made a quick steal that led to 2 Hammonds free throws to get within 91-87. However, Smith sealed it from the free throw line on the ensuing possession, and Landesberg hit a couple more foul shots for an important Maccabi win.

Head Coaches

GOODES, GUY

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv

“This game we were under a lot of pressure, especially in the second half. I am happy with the offensive side. This is an important win that has given a lot of confidence to the team in that we have qualified for the Top 16. I am very happy with this team that has worked hard every day. At the end of the day we have continued to work hard and to succeed.”

OBRADOVIC, SASA

ALBA Berlin

“Congratulations to Maccabi, in the end they deserved to win. We knew from the beginning this is going to be a hard game. We are in a very good moment I would say. In the end we also knew this is a very big home-court advantage team and it is really difficult to officiate and to play here and to have a full time focus. Maybe my players had a lack of experience in the end, which is normal – only two players have played Euroleague. But all in all I can really be satisfied with our attitude. We fought to the end, we never give up. This is our trademark this season. A loss is not a disaster. We have all the chances in our hands to qualify to the Top 16 and we deserve this till now. We of course have to prove this and we have two games to prove this.”

Players

RANDLE, BRIAN

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv

“It feels good [to qualify for the Top 16]. It takes a little pressure off, but we have a tough three-game stint now. Part of [ALBA’s] strength, of the characteristic of that team is fighting from the tip off till the horn sounds. We knew that coming in. Teams in Europe know that’s part of their identity. So we knew it was going to be tough, especially after the game we had in Berlin, that they would come here and really be out for blood. And they kept coming, kept coming, and we had some guys make some big plays and thanks God we got a win. I continue to say I’m a piece of the puzzle. There are going to be days I play well and days I don’t play well. Luckily I’ve strung together some games. I can’t say I am any more important than any of the other guys on this team."

SMITH, DEVIN

Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv

“The important thing is that we won the game. I think we came away with a positive not just because we won the game. It was a total team effort. Everyone who came in contributed something whether it was rebounding, playing defense or knocking out big shots. I think that’s what we can take away from the game – we are in this together and we have to do this together. We just have to focus on finishing games and limit our mistakes. We came here with a game plan today, to take care of the ball and not give up so many offensive rebounds, but we didn’t do great in those categories tonight so we have to do a better job following the plan and taking care of that.”

KING, ALEX

ALBA Berlin

“At the end they hit tough shots, deep three-pointers from [Jeremy] Pargo of course. It was a situation where he changed the game and brought the crowd back into the game. But I think we as a team performed and fought until the end. And of course to have a close game in this situation, we can be really proud of the team. But we have to try to forget this game as quick as possible. We have everything in our own power to make the Top 16 and I’m really positive we can make it.”